


Neville's Nougat

by Blank_Verse_Life



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: But if you squint youll miss it, Chubby Neville Longbottom, Eating Disorders, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Mpreg, Multi, Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2019-11-19 11:40:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18135272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blank_Verse_Life/pseuds/Blank_Verse_Life
Summary: Neville deserves a reward for all his hard work, he just needs help realising it.





	Neville's Nougat

Looking around at all the new Eighth Years, he wasn't suprised to see that not many decided to return. Some were obvious, such as Ron going straight into the Aurors. Others were a complete shock, such as Hermione deciding to chance her NEWTS right after the war, and  _also_ becoming an Auror. 

She had gotten a sense of justice and wanted more, she had said one night when they had all gotten together. She wanted to change things from the inside out, and make her S.P.E.W. campaign a reality. Ron was just happy that he wouldn't be pestered by her to return. Harry had decided to return, not so much to finish his schooling as to chase after a certain blonde Slytherin. 

 _That_ was another surprising development. Harry decided to stop denying his attraction to Malfoy and instead go for it, not that Malfoy saw it that way. He was convinced up and down that Harry was toying with him, his friends didn't help by convincing him that Harry only wanted to call on his life debt. So Harry was doing what he usually does on a Friday evening, pestering Neville for advice. 

"What should I _do_ Neville?" 

Harry was draped over an armchair in the Eighth years common room, disturbing Neville from his Transfiguration studying. 

Neville rolled his eyes, and just so happened to catch the ones of Hannah Abbot. She smiled at him before looking at Harry. She walked up to them and patted Harry on his shoulder. 

"Hey Harry... I think I heard Malfoy say he was looking for you? In the library I believe." He beamed at her before leaping out of the chair to dash out of the door, before she had fully finished her sentence. 

They both shared an exasperatedly fond look before Hannah opened up a textbook of her own. They read in silence before she grabbed her bag and pulled out some candy. Neville recognized it as the homemade nougat her mother sends her. When they would go on their little walks sometimes she would offer some to him, so he knew just how good they were. 

He looked at the tine on his watch and almost swore, dinner was nearly over. His stomach rumbled, making Hannah look up and Neville to blush. She smiled sweetly at him but he remembered the conversation his Gran and Great Uncle had over the summer. 

 

_Neville had just gotten back in from working out in the gardens when his Gran called for him to clean up before lunch. As he cleaned he overheard the conversation his Gran was having._

_"I just don't understand it. That boy works so hard and for so many long hours outdoors, why is he not thinner_ _? You would think we overfeed him by the way he looks! Are you sure he isn't just lazing about out there all day?" His Great Uncle asked his Grandmother. There wasn't a reply, so Neville imagined she had shrugged her shoulders or something like that. Something to say she didn't understand either._

_She had always wanted him to be skinner, thinner, more appealing. He just couldn't seem to lose the pudge from around his middle, and his thighs. He looked down at the fat stretching his shirt, he grabbed at it in disgust. In his darker moments, he almost wanted to... No, he and Luna talked about that during the war. Thinking about it will only lead to more thinking, and thinking leads to actions. He looked down at himself before heading downstairs to help prepare lunch._

 

Neville was knocked from his memories by the door opening and admitting the rest of the Eighth years. He also noticed Hannah holding something out to him, one of the wrapped up nougats. 

"Neville? Would you like one?" Hannah asked him. He smiled and almost reached out to take it when he remembered. 

_"Food leads to Fat. Choose good food, and get good fat."_

He shook his head. 

"No, thank you Hannah. I'm... I'm just going to study more." She looked disappointed, and like she wanted to say something when Harry came bounding over once again. 

"Oh Neville!" He almost wailed before throwing himself across Neville's lap, and his textbooks. 

"Draco was just standing there! I was about to say something before Parkinson jumped in and pulled him away before I could say a word! Am I honestly that bad? What should I do Neville? What  _can_ I do?" He sighed pathetically, pouting at him. Neville looked at Hannah with a deadpan look, making her laugh, before be answered Harry. 

"Maybe you should het him alone, before you try to say anything to him." 

"But he's never alone! That's the problem Neville! He-" 

Already knowing Harry was about to go into a monologue, he tuned him out, and tried to study the textbooks that weren't currently under the other boy. His stomach rumbled a second time, causing Harry to pause, and Hannah to once again look up from her book. 

"Yeah... So, long story short, I am never wearing boots in the Prefects bathroom ever again. Now why don't we go down to the Kitchens since we missed dinner huh Nev?" Harry said, getting off of Neville and offering a hand to him. Hannah also got up, put her book back in the bag, and waited for Neville. 

He shook his head. 

"Nah, I'm not that hungry. You guys-" Harry yanked him up out of his seat. 

"No Neville, I'm not letting you skip another meal. You already missed lunch, you are going to eat dinner, and if you're awake past curfew studying, a snack as well." Harry gave him another one of his stern looks before marching to the common room door. 

He and Harry had been getting closer then ever this year, and one thing Harry did, almost to a fault, was look out for other people. He had noticed Neville not eating and having unhealthy eating habits, and made it his mission to help him. Thanks to Harry he had been losing weight, 'healthy weight' he had called it. 

He also was doing exercises with Neville, showing him how to gain muscles and burn fat. Although that pudge had refused to budge, it was still on his stomach and thighs. Neville knew when to pick his battles, and that included the current battle in front of him. 

He sighed and went after Harry, while Hannah trailed behind him. Harry looked over his shoulder and gave him a worried look. If there was one thing Harry Potter wasn't, it was a bad friend; no matter how annoying he could be, or how bad his choice of dating partner be. 

Of course in typical House Elf fashion, they loaded them down with more food they could possibly eat, and sent them on their way. 

"Nougat Neville?" Hannah offered a second time. He reached out to take it, but quickly pulled his hand back. 

"No. I-I'm good. Thank you though." She nodded with a frown on her face. 

As they walked past a ground floor window Hannah pointed. 

"Look! The sun shouldn't set for an hour or more, wouldn't a picnic be good?" She looked to Neville, who couldn't pass up the opportunity to have a picnic with her. 

"Sure! Harry?" Harry gave him a sly smile and wink when Hannah turned her back. 

"Nah. I need to try to talk to Draco. I'll get my food and go, you two have fun though!" He said over his shoulder. Hannah now had possession of the bag, and together they made their way outside for a nice, quiet dinner together. 

* * *

 

Neville looked down at his Transfiguration test with a smile. A perfect O was definitely worth studying hours for. He felt a presence loom over him, and suddenly a paper was right next to his, a matching O scribbled on it. 

"Look at that! We both got perfect marks!" Hannah smiled at him from his shoulder. He blushed and nodded, unable to say anything since his throat was so dry. She turned away, her face also turning red, and pulled out a wrapped package. 

"Nougat Neville?" He shook his head, not wanting to eat too much today.

Harry came bounding over and set his paper on the desk in front of them. His also had an O on it. 

"You two remind me of Hermione and Ron right after they first got together. They were close like that too." Harry smiled wickedly as Neville sputtered and Hannah beamed at him. 

It was true that they had been officially dating, Neville couldn't believe how, and he still got so embarrassed so easily. 

Just as Harry was about to say something else embarrassing no doubt, Hannah pointed to the door of the classroom. 

"Looks like someone's trying to catch your eye." Harry whipped over and say Draco motioning him over. 

Like a lovesick fool, she smiled dazed and seemed to float over to him. 

"If I ever do that, hex me." Hannah accidentally laughed really hard and loud for a second before covering her mouth. Neville laughed as well, before they both were laughing, and smiling at each other. 

"If you two are about to kiss, can you go somewhere else? Our class is about to start, and we want the seats." They laughed at the Third year and left the classroom, red faced and holding hands. 

* * *

Neville looked at the plate of food Hannah had brought to him. It was too much. 

He would go over his calorie count for the day, and it was only lunch time. He looked at her, and the plate before vanishing a bit of it. 

If it looked eaten, she wouldn't pester his to eat it; or worse, tell Harry he wasn't eating again. 

He didn't know who was scarier, his girlfriend, or his unusually emotional best friend. 

"Nougat?" Hannah offered. Neville smiled, and despite the cramps in his stomach, he declined. 

* * *

 

Neville was studying for their upcoming NEWTS, not noticing the time passing by until the common room door opened noisly. 

He looked up to see several of his classmates come in from dinner, he looked at his watch. He could still study for Transfiguration before heading off to bed for an early start in the morning. 

He was about to turn the page when the book was yanked out of his lap. He looked up and saw his girlfriend standing there with a concerned smile. 

"Hey Nev. Where have you been?" He looked around, for Harry, and shrugged. 

"Just here. Studying." She frowned, and Neville tried to quickly come up with something. 

"He also wasn't at lunch today. Were you Neville?" Came a voice from behind him, Neville grimaced. Harry was leaning over the chair, his concealed baby bump almost touching the chairs back. 

"Why don't you stop for today, and we can go down to the kitchens? I'm sure Harry could go for some Italian sausages, right Harry?" He perked up and walked straight to the door, Hannah pulled him up out of the seat and held his hand as they walked to the door. 

When they got there the House Elves were all cooing at Harry, giving him anything and everything he could ask for. As well as enough food for Hannah and Neville. Harry beamed at the House Elves as he took the bags of food, his bonding ring catching the light.

As they made their way to the common room, Hannah held him back, and allowed Harry to go ahead of them with their bags of food. 

"Neville?" He hummed. 

"If I ask you something, promise me you'll tell me the truth?" He chuckled. 

"Need _Veritaserum_?" She stopped them, and when he looked down at her she was completely serious. He stopped chuckling and nodded. 

"Do... Do you have an eating disorder?" Neville looked at her in suprise, before shaking his head. 

"No-" 

"Yes. He does." They both turned to Harry, who had turned around to stand with them in the corridor. Hannah looked to Neville worriedly, and whispered 'I thought so.' 

Neville looked between the two of them incredulously, he did not have an eating disorder. He shook his head at them before Harry stepped up to him and spoke in a quiet voice. 

"Neville, you have been looking up dieting spells. And you've been counting calories using that counting spell, I've seen you push around food on your plate and not eat it when the calories aren't low enough. I've seen you skip meals altogether! You've been working out harder than ever, yet you don't eat afterwards. And even if you do, you aren't eating right or enough. I believe if you went to Madame Pomfrey she _would_ diagnose you." 

Neville was panicking, he didn't have an eating disorder. He _didn't!_

A hand on his arm made him snap out of himself to see Hannah. 

"Neville, I know what it's like having an eating disorder. I had one for _years_ before I got help. You _need_ help too Neville. Can you let us help you?" 

She took a step back, and held out ber hand. Neville looked between her, Harry, and the outstretched hand. 

He made the best decision for his life. 

He took the hand offered. 

 

 

* * *

***Ten Years Later***

 

"Happy Anniversary!" 

The crowd of people all clapped and sent confetti down from the ceiling. Neville laughed as he pulled his wife of nine years closer. Hannah Longbottom smiled up at her husband adoringly, pleased at how far he had come. 

She watched him smile and laugh with his friends. He didn't look any different to ten years ago, and he was okay with that. It was a long road of recovery, but the destination is sweet. 

Speaking of sweet, she pulled a wrapping out of her bag. 

"Happy Anniversary Nev." She called out to him, he turned around with his Goddaughter in his arms and smiled wide at the sight of the nougat in her hand. 

"Uncle Nev! Uncle Nev!" 

Little Scorpius James and Sirius Orion came bounding up to him, smiles and presents in their arms. 

"Happy wedding!" 

"Even though you got married ages ago!" 

He laughed, as well as the children's father. 

"Scorpius James!" Cried his other father, waddling over full with their fifth child was Harry James Malfoy-Potter. He wacked the back of his husbands head. 

"Draco! Don't laugh at their cheekiness!" He laughed, gathering his husband in his arms. 

"Yes love." 

Harry grumbled, but cuddled up to him nonetheless. 

"Oi! You should know better than that mate!" Yelled Ron Granger. 

"As if you still haven't learned Ronald!" Hermione quiped back. 

Everyone in the room laughed, and Neville smiled at it all as he ate a piece of nougat. 


End file.
